Designer Contracts, a nationwide flooring company based in Chesterfield, has been named as a finalist in the prestigious Lloyds Bank Business Awards.
The company has been shortlisted for the bank’s ‘Mid-Market Business of the Year Award’ with the winner being announced in November.
Peter Kelsey, MD of Designer Contracts, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be in the line-up for Mid-Market Business of the Year! We’re up against some tough competition, but to be recognised in such a well-known, high profile event, in what has undoubtably been a challenging year for many, is a credit to our business and its people.
“In the midst of the pandemic, we’ve had a number of success stories and were able to complete our planned move to a larger head office in Chesterfield – almost four times the size of our previous premises. We’ve also welcomed a number of new customers and continued to service our existing clients – thanks to our huge stockholding – which has been a blessing to many!
“We’re looking forward to the next stage of the awards process – which will include a Zoom interview with members of the judging panel in early September, before finding out our fate at the awards ceremony in November!”
Designer Contracts continues to enjoy significant and consistent growth and is on track to deliver an £80 million turnover as part of its five-year plan. It posted a 23 per cent growth at its previous end of year figures for the year to October 31 2019, boosting turnover from £38 million to £46.7 million.
Designer Contracts operates across 15 regional outlets throughout the UK and is now fully compliant with the UK government guidelines on managing the risk of Covid 19 – and has been certified as a ‘Covid Safe’ employer.
Designer Contracts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Runners will have an opportunity to claim a 2020 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon medal this year despite the event’s cancellation due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Virtual events have been confirmed for the original event weekend of 16th to 18th October, with participants invited to run a Half Marathon, Five Mile or 10k distance before publishing post-run pictures and/or times on the page’s Virtual Events Facebook page, or tagging the event on Instagram and/or Twitter.
The Redbrik Half was cancelled due to Covid-19 creating safety concerns, with the brand-new Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k replacing the event from 2021.
Entrants into the originally-planned 2020 Redbrik Half Marathon who have deferred their entries to the new Chesterfield 10k will receive a medal free of charge on completion of one of the Redbrik Half Marathon Virtual Events – as will those who have already entered the 2021 Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k.
Runners who have not entered either event but want to claim a Virtual Event medal can also enter online for a small fee, with details to be announced soon.
With the Redbrik Half Marathon’s charity partners – Ashgate Hospicecare and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice – due to miss out on funds pledged by those running this year’s Half Marathon events, organisers have encouraged Virtual Event participants to raise funds for good causes which would ordinarily have received tens of thousands of pounds in donations.
John Timms, Event Director said: “We’re really looking forward to seeing people take to the streets safely for the Redbrik Half Marathon’s Virtual Events weekend.”
“This is a fantastic way for those disappointed at the event’s cancellation to still claim a medal and be rewarded for all the training and efforts they have been putting in over the last few months preparing for the event.”
“It’s also vitally important that we continue to pledge funds for great causes such as Ashgate Hospicecare and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, which have both missed out on huge chunks of funding following the cancellation of events due to the pandemic.”
“It won’t quite replace the incredible buzz of the Chesterfield Half Marathon, but this is our chance to give back to those who supported the Redbrik Half in the three years since its inception, and those who have already pledged their support for the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k.”
Mark Ross, Managing Director of Redbrik Estate Agents, said: “It’s great that entrants into the 2020 Redbrik Half Marathon still have a chance to claim a medal despite the event’s cancellation – it’s certainly unusual and something I’ve not seen a lot of cancelled events offer to entrants.”
“It’s also a fantastic way in which people can still generate much-needed funds for causes such as Ashgate Hospicecare and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, two charities which have done unbelievable work during the pandemic and continue to serve local people and communities despite the current circumstances.”
“We’ve been proud to support the Chesterfield Half Marathon since its re-launch in 2017 and look forward to seeing people take part in this year’s virtual events, as we head towards the all-new Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k in 2021.”
The Redbrik Half Marathon’s Virtual Events will be supported by Pronto Paints, a leading regional industrial paint manufacturer.
Pronto Paints Managing Director, David Beckford, said: “We’re delighted to continue supporting the health and wellbeing of the people of Chesterfield and the surrounding areas by pledging our support to the 2020 Redbrik Half Marathon’s Virtual Events.
“We love the idea behind the Redbrik Half Marathon’s Virtual Events and getting behind the event despite the ‘real’ Half Marathon being called off fits within our company ethos of continuing to support the health and wellbeing and physical activity of the community.
“We can’t wait to see medals being awarded for all those who take on the Virtual Redbrik Half Marathon.”
To find out more about the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K, click here.
Local businesses are being offered the chance to boost productivity by working with the University of Derby to provide better mental health support for employees.
The Mental Health and Productivity Pilot will see the implementation of new workplace interventions at pilot organisations and the rollout of existing approaches in small, medium and large businesses across the Midlands Engine region.
The programme aims to:
contribute to the reduction of mental health distress
break down the barriers to accessing care faced by people experiencing mental illness
support their continuation in and return to work
make a positive contribution to organisational productivity, in terms of wellbeing and economic outcomes
Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Health and Social Care at the University of Derby, said: “The cost to the economy of mental health across the Midlands could be in excess of £45bn this year. Yet research shows that for every £1 invested in supporting the mental health of employees, the return to the employer in productivity is £5. Those returns are greater still when employers take preventative, rather than reactive steps to help their staff.”
Around 1,900 employers took part in the first phase of project, exploring the issues of how mental health and wellbeing are currently dealt with in the workplace and its impact on performance.
Around a third of those taking part reported sickness absence among staff due to mental health issues, and a similar proportion recorded presenteeism, particularly in the hospitality and business services sectors.
Factors negatively affecting mental health of employees include:
Lone or remote working
Client expectations on time, quality and cost
Job insecurity
Recruitment practices
Dr Holt added: “A healthy and inclusive workplace is essential for all businesses, so providing appropriate support for employees, creating a culture of openness and tackling discrimination and stigma, will help to remove some of the barriers to growth and development for firms.”
“The research we have carried out shows that employers recognise that understanding how to address mental health issues effectively can boost morale, engagement and motivation, but also reveals that they are not always sure where to obtain the help they need.”
The pilot will link employers directly to initiatives such as Every Mind Matters, This is Me and Mental Health First Aid, which all provide expert guidance.
Once embedded into an organisation, the guidance aims to help reduce the prevalence of mental health difficulties and increase productivity among the workforce.
The University is now offering businesses of all sizes and from all sectors in Derbyshire and the surrounding areas with the opportunity to work with them integrate effective mental health provision into their organisation.
Training courses which not only help to raise awareness but could be used to support continuing professional development (CPD) are also available.
Businesses taking part will be asked to commit to an initial meeting to discuss how the programme would work for their company, creating a roadmap for its success, and promoting their commitment to the pilot in the workplace.
The University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
The University of Derby’s Chesterfield campus, St Helena
Community groups, clubs and charities that work with young people are being invited to apply for a share of £220,000 by Derbyshire County Council.
Grants are available for projects for young people aged from birth up to 19, or up to 25 if they have a disability. There’s no set amount of money that can be applied for.
Successful applicants, who will need to be a properly constituted group, will need to show that they can meet all or some of the following:
Support young people’s physical, mental and emotional development
Help young people to understand how to protect themselves from harm and neglect
Help young people to get more personal satisfaction out of their education, training and recreation time
Enable young people to make a contribution to society through volunteering programmes
Help young people to become socially responsible and economically independent adults.
Councillor Alex Dale, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Young People, said: “We are keen to hear from groups across the county about their plans to help young people this summer.”
“If you’re involved with a community group, club or charity in Derbyshire an Youth Activity Grant could be just the helping hand you need.”
“The process is quick and simple and if you apply now we’ll aim to give you a decision within three weeks, or within six weeks if you apply for £10,000 or more.”
The Youth Activity Grants are available until the end of the year, or until all the money has been allocated.
This image was taken prior to the coronavirus pandemic
A brand-new Corporate Associate partnership with the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) means that thirty thousand SMAS Worksafe members now have access to industry-leading asbestos training.
SMAS Worksafe, a leading health and safety assessment company, is UKATA’s first Corporate Associate following the launch of the strictly invitation-only scheme last year. It is open to like-minded associations, charities and not-for-profit organisations, professional and industry registers.
The partnership recognises the aligned aims of both organisations and comes at a critical period for the UK construction industry. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, workers in the sector are having to play catch-up with asbestos training that they were unable to complete during lockdown.
Commenting on the new partnership Craig Evans, UKATA Chief Operating Officer explained: “It made absolute sense to invite SMAS Worksafe to become a Corporate Associate. Like us, they have a commitment and support to continued improvements and developments within the asbestos industry, in particular training.”
As well as upskilling SMAS Worksafe members, the partnership will also see members of each organisation benefit from an ongoing information share between UKATA and SMAS Worksafe of best practice in their respective fields.
The partnership will also enable members of SMAS Worksafe to respond to growing demand from construction companies for contractors to demonstrate their compliance with Environmental and Quality Management.
Trish Meyer, Business Development Manager at SMAS Worksafe, said of the partnership: “The aim of this partnership is to raise standards in asbestos across the industry. I look forward to working with the team at UKATA to ensure that our members are kept up to date with all the relevant asbestos information and know how to identify relevant and accredited training.”
Craig added: “Our collaboration recognises the quality standards of both organisations and aims to assist members and the wider industry alike to demonstrate their commitment to workplace safety.”
With around 5,000 deaths per year as a result of exposure to asbestos, it is imperative that the relevant workers have the appropriate level of asbestos training to help prevent putting themselves or others at risk in the course of their work.
Asbestos-related health issues, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma, are not identified immediately after exposure to asbestos as it takes a minimum of 15 years and up to 60 years, before deadly asbestos-related diseases present themselves.
A majority of UKATA-approved training providers are now fully operational and either delivering training courses by video conference, e-learning or within the classroom whilst observing social distancing guidelines.
UKATA supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
On 29 August, local runner David Smith intends to run 92 miles in under 24 hours to raise money for the Chesterfield Canal Trust.
The canal runs for 46 miles from Chesterfield to the River Trent and he will run there and back in a day, the equivalent of 3 and a half marathons.
David is a Life Member of the Trust and will be raising money for its 2027 Appeal Fund. This aims to complete the restoration of the canal by 2027 which will be the 250th Anniversary of its opening.
He will set off from Chesterfield in the afternoon of Saturday 29th August. Having run through the night, he will be aiming to get back early on the Sunday afternoon.
David is no stranger to long distance running, nor to raising money for good causes.
Already a keen runner, when he moved to Chesterfield in 1994 he began looking for running routes and it wasn’t long before he came across the canal. Back then it was just a grassy track, but over the years he has seen what a great job the Trust has done helping to restore the canal.
After a while, various family events led him into fundraising and he started running to raise money for a variety of causes, most notably Ashgate Hospicecare and the MS Society; David’s wife has MS. In 2014, David’s grandson was stillborn and this pushed him to a new level, raising money for two babies’ charities – SANDS and Tommy’s.
David often runs in fancy dress carrying a collection bucket (see below) and has competed in events from 5K to 400K, raising over £100,000 in the process. Weather permitting, he will run in full Scooby Doo attire.
during the coronavirus pandemic. David carried on running in his back garden and later round Derbyshire but not raising much money. He had always wanted to tackle the Cuckoo Way – the official name for the canal towpath.
David said: “Over the weeks of lockdown the Canal has become a vital resource allowing walkers and cyclists to experience its beauty as they exercise. It’s important we ensure the brilliant efforts of the Trust volunteers are allowed to continue so the canal can be fully restored for even more people to enjoy.”
Rod Auton, Chesterfield Canal Trust Publicity Officer, said: “We were blown away when David got in touch with this incredible proposal. A few people have walked the full length of the canal in about 16 hours, but to run it there and back in a day is mind-boggling.”
He added: “We hope that the public will get behind David and contribute to our 2027 Appeal. It would be fantastic to see boats sailing into Chesterfield having come all the way from the river Trent. We’d certainly like to see David on the first boat – hopefully it will have been an easier, but slower, passage!”
If you would like to support David or the Canal Trust, you can visit the Chesterfield Canal Trust website or visit David’s Crowdfunder page. Alternatively, you can send a cheque to the Chesterfield Canal Trust, Hollingwood Hub, 22 Works Road, Chesterfield, S43 2PF.
Chesterfield Canal Trust supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Chesterfield-based short-term commercial finance company, Bridge Help, has expanded further with the appointment of David Fielding.
David joins the business as an underwriter bringing nearly 30 years’ experience in the banking sector to his new role. He began his career in banking as a clerk before moving to a customer adviser role and then onto mortgage administration and credit reports, before progressing to a relationship manager position with RBS in 2001.
A self-confessed ‘number cruncher’, David commented: “I like working with maths and numbers and particularly enjoy the analytical side of credit.”
Within the newly created role at Bridge, David will be responsible for preparing the credit reports for the initial assessment of loan applicants with the Bridge Help loans committee.
He added: “I am delighted to join the company. Bridge Help very much has a can-do attitude making it particularly agile within the market. It’s tremendously exciting to part of the company’s growth and decision-making process.”
David, who lives in Rotherham, joins at a time of growth for the business which was established just 18 months ago by former solicitor Chris Sellars who welcomed David to the Bridge Help team. He said: “I am delighted to welcome David onboard. He represents a significant step forward for the business and our plans to grow our market share.
“Despite the challenges presented by Covid-19, loan applications remain strong as people look to invest in the UK commercial property market. Our loan book remains unaffected by the crisis and we are moving ahead with further recruitment in 2020.”
David is one of three new appointments made recently by Bridge Help to push forward the company’s growth ambitions within the bridging finance market. Further recruitment, and also a move to new premises, is planned for later this year.
Bridge Help supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Chesterfield College students had plenty to celebrate when they collected their final A Level and Vocational results today.
After an unusual academic year and a nervous wait, students opened envelopes to find out how they had been graded without sitting exams. The college’s achievement and pass rates across academic and vocational courses mean the majority of students were delighted to find out they had the results they needed to progress on to further study or into employment.
With a 100% A Level pass rate and 76% of students receiving A*to C grades, along with a record number of the highest grades of A* to B, many students have secured their first choice university places.
A Level students returned to the college’s Sixth Form hub, in the former grammar school on Sheffield Road, for the first time since the college closed its doors at the beginning of lockdown to collect results. Students on vocational courses were also invited back to the college to collect results. This was the perfect opportunity to see familiar faces after several month of virtual learning, albeit with social distancing and safety measures in place.
Megan Ward, was delighted when she opened her results to discover she had an A in Psychology, an A in English and a C in Criminology. She said: “My psychology grade is what I expected and I’m so happy with the A in English, it’s great to see my hard work over the last two years has meant that I’ve shot up two grades. I wasn’t too stressed until last night, I couldn’t sleep until 2am but I just kept trying to tell myself not to worry about it because I can’t change what’s on the paper. I’m now going to study Psychology at the University of Brighton and eventually I want to pursue a career in the subject because I really enjoy it. I’m looking forward to going out for a meal with my family tonight to celebrate.”
Megan Ward
History and Philosophy student Olivia Laiken said: “I am so excited! I didn’t sleep at all last night. Getting an A and a B means I can go my first choice university and get where I want to be. I’ve got a place at Durham University to study History which is exactly where I want to be! It has been a nerve-racking wait. When you do an exam you can tell how it goes on the day but without that we didn’t really know how it was going to go. After my mocks I put so much extra work in and got lots of support from my tutor so I am glad that has paid off.”
Olivia Laiken
Students who collected vocational results across a range of subjects from media and digital technologies to construction and vehicle technology. They explained how it felt to finally know their results and what is next for them.
William Hughes, who received a Triple distinction* in Level 3 Extended Diploma in IT (Games, Application and Web Development) said: “I wasn’t too anxious about getting the results today because I knew I had a confirmed place at university but I am still happy to know that I did get my expected grades. I am going to Sheffield Hallam to study games programming next year. I had finished most of my work before lockdown and I only had a few things to left to do so it hasn’t been too difficult but I was wondering how our two years of work would be graded. I look forward to celebrating and relaxing now I know.”
William Hughes
Sophie Gribbin-Gabitas got an A* in NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical certificate in Childcare and Education. She said: “It’s a nice relief getting these results after working through lockdown. All that extra effort has definitely paid off. Getting this grade means I can start my university place at Sheffield Hallam to study teaching. I didn’t quite get the A Level grades I needed from school last year so they deferred my place and asked me to get some more UCAS points. I came to college to do a top up year and I really wanted to do well. I have tried my best this year and I am pleased it shows in my grade.”
Sophie Gribbin-Gabitas
Jo Kershaw, Director of Business Professional and Service Industries at Chesterfield College said:
“Congratulations to all our students who have worked incredibly hard this year, before and after lockdown. They should be very proud of their results. The hard work and commitment they have put into their studies throughout the year will help many of them move onto university-level study or into their chosen careers. I also want to thank our tutors for supporting students to achieve in challenging circumstances.”
“We know it has been a very different end to the academic year than any of us had planned but it is important we celebrate what our students have achieved over the entirety of their course and focus on the opportunities that this brings for them. It was good to have students back in college to celebrate with them today. Our priority now is to ensure we support students with their next steps and get the new academic year off to a great start with quality teaching in a safe space. We are looking forward to welcoming new and returning students in September. ”
The erection of the structural steelwork frame for Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre marks a major milestone in the development’s progress.
Work on the site has been progressing safely through the Coronavirus pandemic with work on the foundations beginning in April and now the steelwork is being erected, which means that the new Enterprise Centre is on track to be completed and will be a key contributor to the town’s economic recovery.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, who visited the site said: “This is both an exciting and an important development for Chesterfield, and I’m pleased that work is continuing to progress despite the current challenges.”
“This Enterprise Centre is key to ensuring that Chesterfield remains a thriving borough and will create lots of new opportunities for local businesses and people, supporting the sustainability of the town centre.”
The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is an important development in Chesterfield’s post-Coronavirus economic recovery plans. It is also a key part of the plan to regenerate this key area of the town and to ensure the town continues to thrive.
Robert Woodhead Limited’s Project Manager, Daniel Cove, said: “Our current works on site centre around the installation of the steel frame and are expected to be completed within the next two weeks. This will then allow us to bring back the ground workers, install the lift pit, the underground tanking and the perimeter blockwork to allow for the installation of the ground floor slab. We are also expecting to receive delivery of the pre-cast concrete stair and the composite metal decking at the end of August to allow for the installation of the roof and expect to be watertight by mid-October.
“We are working with local companies on this project, the ground worker we have contracted for the works is DJ Newbury who employ a number of Chesterfield residents. Going forward we hope to engage with local supply chains for a number of trades including dry lining, flooring and painting and decorating.”
Andrew Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “As a local practice we are delighted to see progress being made on site.”
“The Enterprise Centre is an important part of the Northern Gateway regeneration in Chesterfield, providing a new and unique commercial offer which is designed to be a catalyst for further investment and development.”
As well as providing high quality facilities for businesses wanting to locate in the town centre, the architecture will provide a new contemporary landmark which will enrich the urban fabric of the town. This building is further evidence that Chesterfield can deliver its ambition and realise a building fit for a long and sustainable future.
Scheduled for completion in Spring 2021, the new building will provide 32 high-quality offices in a range of sizes (26 to 120 square metres) over three floors. It offers a shared reception and lobby area, meeting rooms, first floor break out area, bicycle store, shower and changing facilities, air conditioning throughout, lift access, internal bin store, kitchenettes on each floor for use by occupants, individually metered power supplies, access control to all office doors, CCTV coverage to internal communal areas and external area. IT fibre connection into building with maximum speed multi bandwidth and WIFI is provided throughout.
Office space is offered on easy in and out letting terms and tenants at the Enterprise Centre will also benefit from access to a range of other council services and venues, including business support and corporate rates for leisure passes, parking permits and conferencing facilities.
With its town centre location, the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is easily accessible by car, train, bus and cycle users. It’s situated opposite the new Saltergate multi-story car park and close to all major bus routes and Chesterfield Train station.
The building has been designed to have sustainability principles at its heart, minimising its impact on the environment and achieving considerable efficiencies in energy use.
The new centre is an important addition to Chesterfield Borough Council’s commercial property portfolio and will hopefully be a key component in Chesterfield’s post COVID 19 recovery.
The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre project has benefited from grant funding support from the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund.
The Government has announced a support package of £20 million specifically aimed at SMEs to help them recover from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.
It comes on top of an unprecedented package of Government support to help businesses to recover. The support will be fully funded by the government from the England European Regional Development Fund and distributed through local Growth Hubs.
The funding will come in the form of a grant from between £1,000 – £5,000 which can be used to support one or a combination of the following activities:
Access to technology or new equipment in order to get back on track or diversify
Access to professional advice such as HR, legal or financial to aid business decision making and risk management
Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke MP, said: “Businesses will be able to use these new grants to pay for the expertise, equipment and technology they need to adapt, recover and rebuild.”
“Small and medium sized businesses are the beating heart of communities; they provide employment and contribute significantly to local economies and we are determined to give them the support they need to continue to thrive.”
The D2N2 Growth Hub is currently working hard to finalise the application process for these grants and will provide further information on the eligibility criteria as soon as it’s available. EU procurement regulations will apply to this funding.
Chris Pook, D2N2 Growth Hub Manager, said: “These additional grants are welcome news to support some of our local businesses to recover from the impacts of the Covid pandemic. Whilst there is a finite amount of funding to give out, the scheme will help businesses to become more resilient for the future by allowing them to source external advice or implement new technology to diversify their operation in response to COVID 19.”
The expectation is for the scheme to be available at the end of August. If you would like this information when it is published please click here and complete the form.
The University of Derby Business School is working with the Small Business Charter to deliver a specialised government funded programme for leaders of small businesses to survive and thrive in the coming months.
This new scheme comes as part of a £20million package the government is providing to help small businesses in the long term.
To aid business resilience and future growth in the current climate, the Small Business Leadership Programme will create peer groups to develop stronger leadership, innovation, operational efficiency, marketing and finance.
Derby Business School was accredited by the Small Business Charter (SBC) in January 2020, a national accreditation awarded by small businesses to business schools who excel in supporting SMEs and the local economy.
Coronavirus has put untold pressure on directors and CEOs of small companies trying to navigate unchartered waters.
The government has made up to £30 billion available to support economic recovery ahead of the Autumn and businesses can continue to draw upon a range of financial support during this challenging time, including loans, tax deferrals and cash grants. The SBLP will help businesses to bounce back from the impact of coronavirus and prepare for any future disruption.
Speaking about the Small Business Leadership Programme, Professor Kamil Omoteso, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences at the University of Derby, said: “I am delighted that the University of Derby is working with the Small Business Leadership Programme to aid economic recovery and support small businesses affected by Covid-19.
“Across the region we have a high number of sectors affected by the pandemic and we are working closely with the city and the county to tackle its impact. Our aim is to support the re-skilling of people post-Covid, help businesses access our large talent pool of students and graduates, and share our expertise and funding to take the knowledge created within the University and embed it in businesses, partnerships and other organisations to help them innovate and grow.”
The practical syllabus provides business leaders with access to small business and management experts from Derby Business School. The Small Business Leadership Programme is free and fully funded by the Government to enhance small business resilience and recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and develop potential for future growth and productivity.
The short and focused programme will be delivered online through a structured course of eight 90-minute webinars over the course of 10 weeks and will provide the knowledge needed for businesses to tackle crisis situations. It will also give businesses the opportunity to strengthen their business network. Participants will develop strategic leadership skills and the confidence to make informed decisions to boost business performance.
Anne Kiem OBE, CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools and Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, said: “As we continue to grapple with the Coronavirus crisis it is also essential we look long term to ensure small businesses are supported to build resilience, survival and growth. Business schools can provide the expertise and knowledge all business owners and directors need to continue to thrive in uncertain times.”
Small Business Minister, Paul Scully, said: “The strength of small businesses up and down the country will be vital as we begin to bounce back from coronavirus and re-build our economy. The Small Business Leadership Programme will help to equip small business leaders with the leadership and problem-solving skills they need to grow their firms in the wake of this pandemic.”
The University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
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